Baylor Announces New Lung Institute

The highly esteemed Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center recently announced that they will be establishing a new multidisciplinary center dedicated to the treatment of a variety of chronic lung diseases. From patients diagnosed with mesothelioma to those suffering from late stage lung cancer, patients will be able to come to the Baylor Lung Institute for state-of-the-art treatment overseen by one of the world’s leaders in treating chronic lung disease.

Dr. David Sugarbaker has been named the director of the Baylor Lung Insitute. He recently left his position as professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in order to come to Baylor to create a program focused on advanced research. “Part of what attracted me to Baylor is the opportunity to build something that never has been done before,” he said. “I see a large role for clinical and translational research, with an eye to getting new treatments to patients as soon as possible. Baylor is a leader in genomic research and that will play a key part, as well as the personalized treatment of a patient’s lung disease. This program will also have a strong surgical presence.”

The newly-announced center will be staffed by Dr. Sugarbaker as well as an experienced team of physicians with experience in dozens of lung specialties. It is their collective hope that the Institute will offer the world’s most cutting-edge technologies, including chemotherapy protocols designed with their specific genetic information in mind, holistic treatments, and of course advanced surgical procedures. In addition to the traditional medical staff, the Baylor Lung Institute will be powered by dietitians, chaplaincy services, social workers, physical therapists and patient navigators who will all be tasked with meeting the patients’ individual physical, emotional and spiritual needs. The goal is to provide a sense of control for patients who are dealing with the challenges of chronic lung disease.

According to Baylor’s chair of surgery, Dr. Todd Rosengart, “We are all very excited to bring this new era of integrated health care delivery for the treatment of lung disease to the Houston metro area and to all of southeast Texas. The health and well-being of those afflicted with lung disease will significantly benefit from the wonderful care that will be provided by our Lung Institute team under the leadership of Dr. David Sugarbaker, a world class innovator in the treatment of lung cancer, mesothelioma and lung disease.”